Catamenial bandage



Sept. 4, 1951 J. M. JULIEN 2,566,451

CATAMENIAL BANDAGE Filed March 24, 1950 m 1 W Aln' n-m Patented Sept. 4,1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BANDAGE .1 osephine M. Julien, Troy, N. Y. application March 2 1, 1950,Serial No. 151,748

1 laim, 12.872

This invention relates to a novel construction of catamenial bandagewhich is formed entirely and solely of a mass of tissue papercorresponding in quality to paper sheets commonly sold as facial tissuesand which may be constructed from a plurality of such facial tissues.

Conventional catamenial bandages are formed of cotton or similarabsorbent material enclosed in a wrapper of cotton cloth or otherabsorbent fabric and certain catamenial bandages have been formed inpart of paper as a filler and which is enclosed in a fabric wrapping orsecured around a fabric strip.

The present invention eliminates the use of the fabric wrapping or stripand all securing means and provides a bandage which is formed solely ofa highly absorbent tissue paper formed in a mass having portions thereofpressed together so that due to the inherent tendency of the tissueplies to adhere together, the bandage will maintain its shape afterbeing pressed together, thus providing a bandage which may be veryeconomically manufactured and sold, which is very readily disposable andwhich is as absorbent as the conventional more expensive bandages yet ofconsiderably less weight and possessing a greater degree of yieldabilityso that the bandage is capable of being more comfortably worn and willmore readily conform to the body of the wearer.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafterbecome more fully apparent from the following description of thedrawing, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, andwherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the improved catamenial bandage;

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Figure 3 is an edge elevational view of the same, and

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of the band age taken substantiallyalong a plane as indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the catamenial bandage orpad in its entirety is designated generally 5 and is formed solely of amass of tissue paper which is molded or formed into an elongated pad ofapproximately oblong cross section, as illustrated in Figure 4, whereinthe tissue paper 6 constituting the mass from which the pad 5 is formedcorresponds to or possesses the quality and characteristics of the paperconventionally used and sold as facial tissues. Such paper possesses ahigh degree of absorbency at least equal to that of cotton and similarmaterial conventionally used for catamenial bandages yet which is muchlighter in weight and capable of being much more readily deformed toconform to the body of the wearer. The pad 5 may be made in varioussizes but is preferably approximately ten inches in length and two andone-half inches wide. The pad or bandage 5 is provided with convexlyrounded side edges 1 and the top or inner side of the pad is pressed into provide a depression 8. The depression 8 extends to pointsapproximately three inches from each end of the pad and to adjacent eachside edge of the pad 5 and the end portions of the pad, beyond andspaced from the ends of the depression 8 are likewise pressed togetheras seen at 9. Due to the normal tendency of the tissue paper to adheretogether, this compressing of the pad 5 to form the depression 8 and theflattened ends 9 is sufficient to insure that the pad will retain itsshape prior to use and while in use. The center depression 8additionally causes the pad or bandage 5 to fit more closely to thebody.

The bandage 5 is preferably about one-half an inch thick at thedepression 8 and approximately three-fourths of an inch thick beyond thesides and ends of the depression 8. The pad 5 is worn in a conventionalmanner with the upper side, containing the depression 8, next to thebody and may be supported by any conventional catamenial bandage or padsupporter, not shown. The depression 8 thus forms a receptacle whichcatches clots which ordinarily escape from conventional catamenial pads,thereby avoiding soiling of the clothing and embarrassment to the user.Additionally, the compressed central area beneath the depression 8 isstrengthened by being compressed. As portions of said area beneath thedepression 8 are moistened, the moistened portions become more absorbentas the plies thereof are loosened by the moisture; however the remainderof said area, usually the portions thereof adjacent the margins of thedepression 8, retain their original compressed condition to co operatewith the compressed ends 9 to retain the plies of the pad together andadditionally resist spreading of the moistened area to the side edges ofthe pad.

It will be readily obvious that the pad 5 is more readily disposablethan a cotton pad and is capable of being much more economicallymanufactured and sold yet is equally as efficient in accomplishing itsintended result.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously beresorted to, with out departing from the spirit or scope of theinvention as hereinafter defined by the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

A catamenial pad or bandage composed solely of a mass of highlyabsorbent tissue paper comprising a plurality of plies held together bythe inherent tendency of the tissue paper to adhere together, said padbeing of a length substantially greater than its width and being ofapproximately oblong shape in cross section, said pad being compressedto provide a depression in one side thereof adapted to be disposed nextto the body to form a receptacle extending to adjacent the side edgesand to near the ends of the pad, said pad having compressed end portionsof reduced thickness spaced from the ends of the ,compression, and saidcompressed end portions'and' the compressed central portion of; the pad;combining to cause the pad to maintain its shape and to resistseparation of the tissue paper plies forming the pad, the plies of thearea of the pad be- '4 v neath portions of the depression tending toloosenwhen moistened to increase the capacity of moistened area toabsorb moisture, other portions of the area of the pad beneath thedepression retaining their compressed condition to resist spreading ofthe moistened area to and beyond the margins of the depression and toresist sepa-' ration of the tissue plies.

JOSEPHINE M. JULIENQ- REFERENCES CITED The fol lowing references are ofrecord in the file of this patent:

. UNITEDSTATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 21,0'76- Glomstead May 9,1939 1,192,439 Luellen July 25, 1916.

